U-23 side’s visa woes

Updated: November 22, 2011

The national Under-23 football team’s Olympic prospects took further strain as the squad failed to leave for Morocco on Monday as scheduled.

Amaglug-glug, fresh from successive defeats to Algeria, play Cote d’Ivoire on Saturday in the African Under-23 Championships, an eight-team event, which serves as a qualifier for the 2012 London Games, reports website football365.co.za

However, visa issues delayed their departure – much to coach Shakes Mashaba’s dismay.

“It’s a big blow that we did not leave (as scheduled),” he said on a radio show on Monday night. Team manager Levy Ramajoe, who was part of the Team SA squad at the recent All Africa Games, is already in Morocco and has secured two training grounds and a practice match.

Mashaba’s preparations first hit a snag when some PSL clubs refused to release players for the recent two-match series in Algeria.

Mashaba publicly crossed swords with PSL chairman Irvin Khoza over the issue before the former Bafana Bafana boss was assured he would get the support he desired.